Metal air-heating apparatus



July 24, 195 G. w. DoNLEY METAL AIR HEATING APPARATUS Filed Dec.

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Hill! IN VEN TOR.

G. W. DON LEY METAL AIR HEATING APPARATUS July 24, 11951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 8, 1945 INVENTOR. @Jv/7L W fr@ BY July 24, 1951 G. w. DONLEY METAL AIR HEATING APPARATUS' 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 8, 1945.

. INVENToR. 650,965 144 o/w y BY #Aa 1fwle/c- A frag-ways Patented July 24, 1951 METAL AIR-HEATING APPARATUS George W. Donley, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The Donley Brothers Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application December 8, 1945, Serial No. 633,609

7 Claims.

lThis invention relates to air-heating apparatus of vthe replace unit type illustrated, described and claimed in my Patent No. 2,151,016 issued March 21, 1939, the units o'f the type referred to in said patent being adapted to be set into 'a 'building' construction and to provide for the circulation of air in heat-transferring vrelation to the said units, whereby heat maybe transferred "by convection as well as by radiation to the rooms in which the units are installed.

The general object of my invention herein is to secure a greater heating' 4e'iiiciency than is obtainable by the construction embodied in my aforesaid patent, with resultant economy in fuel consumption.

I accomplish the `foregoing objects, as well as additional objects, which will `be set forth hereinafter, in 'and through the constructionA and arrangement of parts shown in the drawing hereof wherein Fig. 1 represents a front elevational view of a iireplace embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional view corresponding approximately to the line 2 2 of Fig. l; Fig. 3 is a sectional view corresponding to the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2, partsof the upper front baille and the front wall of the smoke dome being broken away; Fig. 5 is a front elevational View `of the upper portion of a 're place unit 'showing a modification of the smoke dome and heated-air Ydistributing means; Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken on line 6 6 of Fig. l12; Fig. 7 is a fragmentary vertical section on line 1 1 of Fig. 1; and Figs. 8 and 9 are fragmentary sections taken on lines 8 8 and 9 9 of Fig. 2 of the drawings.

'Referring now to the drawing and particularly to Figs. 1-4 of the same, Ill denotes the sides, II the back, I2 ar bottom Wall, `for the air chamber, '(to be y'described hereinafter) and I3 the Vtop-of the housing for my Afireplace unit, the bottoms of the sides and Iback and the wall I2 of said housing being suported on the hearth. I4 denotes the upper front member -of the housing, the sides of" the same being overlapped by flanges I5 on the front of the sides Il), which'flanges are secured to the side edges 'of the front member, as by bolts (not shown). The top is provided with downwardly extending ange's I 5a, vI6 and I1 which overlap and are secured to the upper ends of the corresponding front, side and back membersof the housing.

Within the outer housing is located a 'iireplace, the same 'comprising' aback wall havinga lower vertical section I3 "connected at its bottoni ('as bywelding to `the' bottoni 'wan l2, said rireplace also 4having an upper 'forwardly inclined section I9. The fireplace also has sides 20 which are spaced from and parallel with the sides of the housing. The rear wall of the replace is spaced from the rear w'all of the housing and the sides 20 are also kspaced 'from the side walls of the housing. Connected to and preferably formed with the outer edges of the sides 20 of the fireplace are vertical side panels 2| the 'outer ends of the lower portions of which are `rearwardly anged, as shown Vat 22, and the anges are received within the forward edges of the housing sides I0 and secured thereto, `as by wire clips 23, while their upper portions are overlapped by and secured to the lower portions of the flanges 24 denotes a hood which is secured at its sides to the upper ends of the panels'ZI and the upper end of which hood is overlapped by the lower end of the front member I4 of the housing. The upper vend of this hood has `connected thereto and preferably formed integral therewith an upwardly and inwardly inclined wall 26 forming the llower end of the front wall of the smoke dome A and from the upper end of which there extends a narrow vertical wall 21. g

28 denotes a smoke shelf which .forms the bottom of the smoke dome, the said dome having a rear wall 29 which extends upwardly and rearwardly from the rear end of the` smoke shelf, a front wall 26, 30, Ythe central portionof the lower end of the latter being secured, as by welding, to

the top of the wall 21 and which extends upwardly and rearwardly therefrom and from the wall 26. The smoke dome also has side `walls 3| the lower -ends 3|a of which extend vertically from the opposite ends of the smoke shelf and then converge toward the .upper endof the housing, where the top of the dome is provided with ailue connection 32.

In its lower 'front portion the smoke dome is provided with a 4pocket B forming a ,portion of the external boundary of an air-circulating and heating delivery tube in the smoke dome, which pocket comprises the central portion of the vertical wall 21, a horizontal wall 33 extending rearwardly from the said portion of the wall 21, and a substantially vertical .wall .34 which connects the rear end of the wall 433 with the iront end of the smoke shelf. The walls 21, v33 and 34 close the front bottom portionof Athe boundary of the air tube and constitute a pocket Afor the damper 35, the lower end of which is shown as pivotally connected at 36 with the top of the vfireplace wall I9, andthe front end 0f which engages the upper end of the wall 2E, when closed, the damper and the wall 25 extending the full length of the smoke dome. rIhis damper, when closed, will shut off all communication between the iireplace and the smoke dome. When open, by the means to be described, it will rest against the rear wall 34 in the pocket, thereby allowing the products of combustion to pass freely into the smoke dome, including any smoke lying under the lower surface of the pocket B.

The means shown herein for opening and closing the damper comprise an operating handle 3'I pivotally connected at 38 to an arm 3i! which in turn is pivotally secured to the hood 24 and which has a vertical angle iron arm 4B connected thereto provided in the ilange 40a with a slot for a pawl 4I which is pivotally connected at one end to the upper end of the operating lever 3l and its other end to the damper. It will be obvious that, by pulling forwardly upon the lever' 3l, the damper will be swung to open position, whereby it may rest against the wall 34. The arm 39 is provided with ratchet teeth 33a for cooperation with the pawl.

Positioned within the smoke dome, but out of communication therewith, is an inverted V- shaped air circulating and heating tube C, the same comprising inclined side walls 42 extending between and connected at the rear and front edges to the rear and front walls 29 and 30 of the smoke dome, with its apex spaced from the top of the smoke dome and below the top I3 of the housing. The bottom of the wall 34 of the damper pocket is connected to the smoke shelf immediately in front of an opening 43 in the latter, the shape and area of the opening being preferably determined by the shape and size of the space included between the bottoms of the side walls 42 of the tube C.

The walls constituting the sides 20 of the replace are substantially rectangular and project rearwardly beyond the wall I8 of the latter and extend to the top of the wall I9, with their upper ends engaging and forming a sealing contact with the ends of the smoke shelf. The upper ends of the walls 2t are provided with V-shaped openings 44 for admitting air from opposite sides of the air chamber D into the tube C. The air thus admitted has been heated by contact with and radiation from the fireplace as well as by contact with and radiation from bafies heated by radiation from the replace in the manner to be described hereinafter.

The air delivered to the' tube C is in turn delivered therefrom through the front wall 30 of the smoke dome beneath a baiile having a vertical wall 45, shown as supported at its lower end by angle clips 45a secured thereto and to the wall 26 and spaced from the latter. The upper end of the vertical wall 45 has connected thereto, and preferably integral therewith, an upwardly and rearwardly inclined upper wall 46 the rear end 46a of which is secured to the front wall of the smoke dome above the outlet 42a for air from the tube C. Except at its front edge, the wall 45 is not coextensive with the wall 45, the sides of the former wall being cut away, as shown at 4Gb (Figs. l and 4) so that the rear edge 46a is of substantially the same width as the portion of the smoke dome to which it is attached, as by rivets 4l, air flowing up through the tube C and out in under the upper wall 46 of the wall 45 will flow out from the sides of such upper wall into the outer housing primarily 4 adjacent the rear thereof due to the inclination of the wall 4E.

The top wall I3 of the housing is provided with one or more outlet connections 48, communicating with the portion of the air chamber D surrounding the fireplace and the smoke dome, for delivering air heated directly and indirectly by the replace to any desired point or points. For the purpose of utilizing ellciently the heat of the fireplace for transmitting heat to the air admitted through the screened side openings 49 to the portion of the chamber D which surrounds thereplace, and the bottom of which chamber is dened by the wall I2, I have provided the following construction and arrangement of baflies:

50 denotes the vertical lower portion and 5I)a the forwardly inclined upper portion of a baffle located at the rear of the fireplace, the side edges of the said baffle being shown as located between the front and rear of the screened openings 49. The lower end of the baiile 50, 5I)a is secured to the upper Vertical portions 5I of Z-shaped clips each having a substantially horizontal flange at its bottom whereby it is secured to and supported from the bottom wall I2 of the air chamber. The baiiie 5l), 50a, is of slightly less width than the width of the fireplace whereby its upper inclined portion is secured to the upper extensions of the side walls 20 of the fireplace below the opening 43, as by angle clips 52, with its upper end in substantial registration with the rear of the openings 44.

53 denotes the Vertical lower portion and 53a the forwardly inclined upper portion of a second bale located rearwardly of the balile 5U, (50a. The bafe 53, 53a is considerably wider than the baiiie 50, extending at its lower ends to and in contact with diagonal gussets 54 connecting the rear corners of the housing with the rear corners of the replace. The lower end of the vertical portion 53 of the baiiie is secured to and supported by the lower vertical portions 5Ib of the Z- shaped clips which also support the baiiies 50, 50a. The upper end of the wall 53a is secured to and against the rear wall 29 of the smoke dome, as by rivets 55.

56 denotes a vertically extending baie which is interposed between the rear of the smoke dome and the rear wall II of the housing and which is supported at its upper end from the smoke dome, as by rivets 51, and at its lower portion by means of braces 58 interposed between and secured to the baille and to the rear wall of the smoke dome.

59 denotes Vertical baffles interposed between the sides 2i) of the replace and the screened openings 49. These baflles are shown as supported at their lower ends by angle clips `li!) secured thereto and to the bottom I2 ofthe housing, and they extend upwardly above the ends of the smoke shelf. l

It will be noted that the walls 21 and damper 35 form therebetween a throat through which products of combustion from the fireplace are delivered into the smoke dome directly from the replace section I9 and 26 from opposite sides of the lower edge of the pocket B provided in the front of the tube C for the reception of the damper when the latter is in its open position.

In Fig. 5 there is shown a modification 0f my invention which differs from the form shown in Figs. 1-4 inclusive in that two tubes CX are provided in the smoke box for the passage therethrough of heated air from below the smoke shelf.

egvzseafiln Each of Vthese/tubes has anV upwardly inclined side wall 60 and a vertical side wall 6I, "the bottomof the space between the said walls being closed by the central portion v28a of the smoke shelf v28, pockets B being formed in the lower portions of the tubes in the same manner as the pocket B is formed in the front lower portion of the tube C in Figs. l to 4. Theremaining .parts ofFig. are substantially identical with the corresponding parts of Figs. 1 to 4, and are identied by the same numerals by which they `are identied in the preceding views.

`With the parts arranged and constructed as shown -and described, it will be evident that when the walls of the fireplace are heated, as by means ofA gas logs or other source of heat, the air to be heated will be drawn into the fireplace heater through 'the screened openings 4S, and `air passing in contact with the side and end walls of the lireplace and in contact with. the smoke dome will be heated by contact `therewith `and by radiation therefrom; it will also be heated by contact with and radiation from the bailles 50, 502153, 53e, 56 and 5 9.

yAir'which has been partially heated by .contact `with the side and back walls of the fireplace and by 'contact'with and radiation from the ,baille 50, 50a'as well as a part of the air which vis heated by-contact with fthe side walls of .the fireplace and'lby contact with and radiation from the .bafiles59 will be delivered into the tube C through opening 43 and will leave through outlet 42EL and thence beneath the baille 45, 46, from the 4ends of `which it mingles with the air which has been heated -by Acontact with and radiation fromthe baiiies 53, 53a, 56, and part of the air which has .beenheated by contact with and radiation from the side walls Vof the fireplace and the ballles 5.9.

It will ybe noted that the air which passes Vbetween the baille 53 and 53 and the rear wall Il of A'the housing is divided as it ascends, part of it passing between the upper inclined portion 5ist ofthe Said baille and the baille 56, it vbeing .discharged from the ends of vthe space between the last mentioned baille and the rear wall of the smoke dome into the space surrounding the latter, the other portion of the ascending air passing between the baille 55 and the rear wall I-i and *being heated in its passage by contact with andradiation from the baille 56 which `in turnfhas been heated by conduction from the rear wall of the dome, as well as by contact with the air which passes between the same and the said rear wall of lthe dome.

The vairpassing between the bailles 50, 50a-and 53, 53H "is heated by contact with and radiation from the former baille, as Well as by contact with thewupper portion of the baille 53,v 53a, which is connected to and heated by conduction from the rearwall of the smoke dome. The `air passing between the baille walls 50, 50a and 53, 53a passes in part through the opening 43 into the air'tubes Cor CX and in vpart in contact with and around the lower portion of the rear wall of the smoke dome.

:Due to the construction and arrangement `of parts shown and described herein, I am enabled touproduce a heater of the replace unit type which is extremely e'fcient in effecting a high interchangefof heatv between the air entering` the housings of such units `and vthe replaces ernployed therein; Ialso that -I am enabled to accom-- pl'ish these results i-n constructions which Aare comparatively simple in construction and inexpensive foi production. 1

6 "Having thus described :my iinventionywhat I claim iis:

1. In a metal air-'heating-apparatus, the combination of an exterior 'housing-having front, rear, side, and top walls, a fireplace set within the housing and vhaving -rearand side walls spaced from therearand sidewalls ofthe housing, the rear wall: of said fireplace having a forwardlyinclined 4portion, a smoke-receiving and heatradiating dome abovefthe said fireplace, a throat provided fbetween the top of the rear wall of the replace and the lower end `of the front wall of the said dome, and ay damper pivoted to the upper end 'of .the rear wall'jofthe fireplace for controlling .the said throat, the side walls ofthe ilreplace extending above 4and rearwardly of the forwardly inclined portion Vofthe rear wall of the said fireplace toapoint approximating thetop of the said rear wall, the yportion of the bottom of the smoke domejlocated rearwardly of said throat having a bottom Wall supported by the extensions of the side walls of the fireplace and provided with an airinlet opening and the .smoke dome having therein an air-receiving and distributing `tube having its bottom .communicating with the said opening, lthe said tube being Vlocated within and interposed between the front andY `rear wal-ls of the saidvdome and adapted vto deliver air received from said inlet opening andpassing through said tube, through lan opening provided .in the front wall of thesaid dome, ,abaille located between the rear wa1l-of--the replace and the rear wall of .the .housing and having its lower end supported adjacent to ,the bottom .of the housing, the vsaid baille extending vertically upwardly and thence forwardly ltoa point adjacent to but spaced below the `opening .in the bottom wall of the said dome and having side edges supported from the upper ends of theextensions of the side walls of the ,-fireplace, and means -for admitting air to the lower portion of the space between the said bafleand the rear wall of `the fireplace, and a baille located vwithinthe upper front portion of the housing and .having its lower end supported in proximity to but in front of the said throat and extending upwardly therefrom substantially parallel with the front Wall of the housingand thence rearwardly-and upwardly and -secured to the front wall of thendome-aboye the :opening in said wall, the sides of the last mentioned baille being spaced fromthesidesof thehousing, thereby to deliver air receivedfromsaidftubeinto the housing,

2. Ina metal air-heating apparatus, the combination of 'an exterior housing -having front, rear, side and top Wal-1s, a replace set within the housing and having` side walls and a rear wall the lower portion of which is spaced from and .substantially .parallel with the rear wall of the housing and the upper portion of which is inclined forwardly, .the side `walls of the fireplace A.extencling upwardlyand rearwardly of the inclined portion of therear wall of the ,iireplace to a :point as fhigh as vthe itop-of the inclined por-` tion of said rear wall, a smoke-receiving and heat-radiating doma above the said i-lreplace having a front Wall', side walls, and a rear wal-l and communicating with "the 4.top of the iireplace by a throat at the bottom of the front wal-l of said dome, the' dome having a bottom wall constituting a `smoke 'shelf located rearwardly of s'aid throat and having its ends supported upon the extended porti-ons ofthe side walls of the fireplace, anfair tu'be within and' extending between the-rear andthe front walls of the dome, said'air tubeA being :generally of' inverted v shape,

the rear edges ofv the side walls of the tube be-Y ing connected to the rear wall of the dome and the front edges being connected to the front wall of the dome, the smoke shelf being provided with an opening communicating with the bottom of said tube and the front wall of the dome having an opening between the junction of the side walls of the said tube therewith for the escape of heated air, and the dome being provided with an outlet connection for delivering products of combustion therefrom, means for admitting air at the rear of and in contact with the lower portion of the back of the fireplace and for permitting the same to circulate upwardly beneath the smoke shelf and through the opening therein, and a baille having a verticalportion spaced from the front of the said dome and extending from a point below the opening in the front wall thereof and also having a rearwardly extending portion the rear edge of which is connected to the front wall of the dome, the baille being of less width than the width of the upper portion of the housing whereby air delivered thereinto through the opening in-the dome may be discharged around the ends of the baille.

3. In the air-heating apparatus set forth in claim 2, a baille having a vertical portion located between the rear wall of the ilreplace and the rear wall of the housing and extending upwardly from the lower portion of the housing and also having a forwardly inclined portion extending above the forwardly inclined portion of the rear wall of the fireplace, with its upper end adjacent to the rear of the opening in the smoke shelf, a baille having a vertical portion interposed between and spaced 'from the rear wall of the housing and the vertical portion of the second baille and extending upwardly from the lower portion of the housing and having a forwardly inclined upper portion extending above and spaced from the forwardly inclined portion of the second baille, the rear wall of the dome being inclined rearwardly and upwardly from the bottom thereof to a point in proximity to the rear wall of the housing and the upper end of the third baille being secured to the rear wall of said dome above the bottom thereof, and a baffle secured at its upper end to the upper portion of the rear wall of said dome and extending in a vertical direction downwardly therefrom and being spaced from the' rear wall of the housing with its lower end overlapping and spaced rearwardly from the upper end portion of the third baille thereby to permit air flowing between the third baille and the rear wall of the housing to pass in part between the fourth baille and the rear wall of the dome and in -part between the fourth baille and the rear wall of the housing and thence into the space surrounding the dome.

4. In the air-heating apparatus set forth in claim 2, the extended portions of the sides of the fireplace having openings therein below and adjacent to the ends of the bottom wall of the dome, a vertical baille interposed between each side of the housing and the adjacent side of the fireplace and extending as high as the opening in such adjacent side, a baille having a vertical portion interposed between and spaced from the rear walls of the housing and fireplace and having a forwardly inclined portion spaced from the forwardly inclined portion of the rear wall of the fireplace and having its Lipper edge adjacent to the rear of the opening in the bottom wall of the dome and its upper side edges in yproximity to the rear of the openings in the extensions of the sides of the fireplace.

5. In the air-heating apparatus set forth in claim l, the dome being provided with a pocket comprising a wall extending upwardly from the lower end of the portion of the front wall which forms the front of the throat, a wall extending rearwardly from the top of the upwardly extending wall and a substantially vertical wall extending downwardly from the rear end of the last-mentioned wall to the front of the bottom wall of said dome and in juxtaposition to the upper end of the back of the fireplace, the last three walls forming the bottom of the portion of the airtube which projects forwardly beyond the bottom wall of the dome and the pocket formed by said last three walls being adapted to receive and retain therein the damper when the latter is in its open position.

6. In a metal air-heating apparatus, the combination of an exterior housing having front, rear, side and top walls, a fireplace set within the housing and having sides spaced from the side walls of the housing and having a rear wall the lower portion of which is spaced from and substantially parallel with the rear wall ofthe housing and the upper portion of which is inclined forwardly, the sides of the fireplace being formed by and between walls extending upwardly to a point as high as and rearwardly of the top of the inclined portion of the rear wall of the replace, a smoke-receiving and heat-radiating dome having front, bottom, side and rear walls and positioned above the said fireplace, a throat lying between a wall adjacent the front and top of the replace and, the front of the bottom of the dome for delivering products of combustion from the fireplace into the said dome, the bottom wall of the said dome being located rearwardly of said throat and constituting a smoke shelf having its ends supported upon the rearwardly and upwardly extending portions of the side walls of the fireplace, an air tube within and extending between the rear and front walls of the dome, said air tube being generally of inverted V-shape and the rear edges of the side walls of the tube being connected t0 the rear wall of the dome and the front edges being connected to the front wall of the dome, an opening provided in the smoke shelf communicating with the bottom of the said tube, an opening through the front wall of the dome interposed between the junction of the side walls of the said tube therewith for the delivery of heated air from said tube, and the smoke domey being provided with an outlet connection for delivering products of combustion therefrom, and means for admitting air to the interior of the housing and enabling it to circulate upwardly in contact with the back of the replace and beneath the smoke shelf and through the opening therein; means for enabling the air to circulate upwardly in contact with the back of the nreplace and beneath the smoke shelf and through the opening therein comprising a baille interposed between the back of the fireplace and the rearl wall of the housing and supported with its lower end adjacent to the bottom of the fireplace, the said baille extending upwardly from its support and comprising al ower portion which is spaced from and substantially parallel with the rear wall of the replace and an upper portion which is inclined forwardly from the lower portion and which is spaced from the upper portion of the rear wall of the fireplace with its upper end in proximity to the rear portion of the opening in the smoke shelf and having the side edges of its upper portion supported from the rearwardly and upwardly extending portions of the sides of the iireplace, and each of said portions having an opening therein adjacent to the smoke shelf for supplying air therethrough to the opening in said shelf.

7. In a metal air-heating apparatus, the combination of an exterior housing having front, rear, side and top walls, a replace set within the housing and having sides spaced from the side walls of the housing and having a rear wall the lower portion of which is spaced from and substantially parallel with the rear wall of the housing and the upper portion of which is inclined forwardly, a smoke-receiving and heat-radiating dome above the said fireplace with its bottom extending substantially the full width of the top of the replace, the said dome comprising front and side walls, a rear wall located rearwardly of the top of the vrear wall of the fireplace, and a bottom wall constituting a smoke shelf and extending from the rear wall of the dome forwardly to the top of the rear wall of the fireplace, the bottom of the front wall of the dome being spaced forwardly from and extending parallel with the upper end of the fireplace, a substantially vertical smoke hood extending transversely of and downwardly from the front of the fireplace sides, the upper edge of said hood being in substantially the same horizontal plane as the top of the back of the replaoe and the said smoke hood extending the full width of the top of the fireplace, an upwardly and inwardly inclined wall extending from the upper end of the said hood with its upper end located above and spaced forwardly from the upper end of the rear wall of the fireplace to form a throat therewith extending substantially the full width of the bottom of and communicating with the smoke hood in front of said smoke shelf, a damper hingedly supported at one side of the throat and adapted, when closed, to extend across the said throat, the said v damper extending substantially the full length of the said throat, the sides of the replace being formed by walls which extend upwardly and rearwardly of the top of the back of the fireplace and into engagement with the bottom Wall of and into engagement with the bottom wall of the dome and the dome being provided with an air inlet opening in the bottom Wall intermediate of the ends thereof and intermediate of the extended side Walls of the fireplace, the front wall of the dome having an air outlet opening therein, an air tube within said dome and extending between and connecting the air inlet opening and the air outlet opening thereby to deliver heated air through said tubeand said dome, and a baiiie in front of the front wall of said dome and comprising a lower substantially vertical portion extending upwardly frorn a point below theopening in the front wall of said dome and a rearwardly extending portion engaging the front wall of said dome above the opening therein, the lower portion of said baffie extending across the front wall of the dome and the sides of the baiiie being spaced from the side walls of the housing.

GEORGE W. DONLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 310,277 Hayes Jan. 6, 1885 1,618,478 Sala Feb. 22, 1927 1,657,369 Chapman Jan. 24, 1928 1,733,846 Wills Oct. 29, 1929 1,756,511 Dowler Apr. 29, 1930 1,771,668 Walters July 29, 1930 1,987,252 Cage Jan. 8, 1935 2,009,642 Jaquith et al July 30, 1935 2,151,016 Donley Mar. 21, 1939 

